Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you're probably familiar with the power of social media via themed pages and individual influencers. These outlets have fueled the fire for modern society’s appetite for digital consumption. The contemporary influencer and the widespread desire to become one remain some of the most profound enigmas in recent memory. Now, you may be asking yourself, "What exactly is an influencer? Why do half of my friends on Instagram now proclaim themselves to be one?"

With over 800 million monthly users, Instagram is a highly desired platform on which influencers strive to achieve reputability. Successfully obtaining influencer status opens the door for power attainment, leverage and the ability to make a lot of money. The Instagram platform allows normal people to accumulate massive followings and when used effectively, it can produce eye-popping results, whether it be for driving app installs, direct-to-consumer marketing, brand exposure or simply as an outlet to share your passion with the world.

In this article, you will find the key components that enabled me to amass one million followers in under four months, starting from zero.

Money

I elected to discuss money first due to how little it is mentioned in relation to the topic of high-octane Instagram growth. Thinking that you can achieve one million followers in under four months without investing money is simply naive. Now, you may wonder, "But where do I even spend money to kickstart my Instagram growth?"

The easiest and most cost-effective method of spending money to achieve Instagram growth is by paying influencers or themed Instagram accounts in your desired niche. The individuals who manage these accounts are more than happy to sell promotional posts. To contact these individuals, you can find their email or KIK located in the bio on their page and shoot them a message.

Key metrics to be conscious of while running campaigns are CPM (cost per thousand impressions), cost per follower gained and engagement rates. Although cost per follower may seem like the only relevant statistic, the other factors must be considered for a successful campaign. If you are achieving low CPM and high engagement rates through initial promotions but not the desired cost per follower, you might want to reconsider the creative used. The creative might be highly engaging for the audience but lack a proper incentive or call to action to follow your page or make a purchase on your e-commerce site.